Alone with Masks
by ShadowMamba
Summary: Xiaolin has hidden behind a mask of silence for ever since she moved to Tokyo. After going down the well and finding Sesshomaru, what will she do when she finds someone else to has a mask?
1. Chapter 1

Alone.

That was what she thought as she woke up from her nighttime sleep.

She had always felt alone. She always felt like no cared really cared. No one really did. Sure people said they did, but soon they would always forget.

That was what she missed from her homeland. The way people she did not even know cared for her not out of politeness but out of concern. She never felt alone then. Nevertheless, here people were different. Here people were too polite to care. It simply was how the culture was. Back home, sure people were not nearly as polite but they had cared.

She was not supposed to be here.

She who came from far away.

She who had to learn another language.

She who had to learn another culture

She who had had to learn fast.

She who had to forget the past she loved.

Her mother was from this land. She did not know much of it before _it_ happened. However, _it_ had happened. Her father was gone. Her mother was gone. Moreover, she had been sent away to stay with the clan like family she did not know had existed before _it. _They had said that they had wanted to help with the pain, so they put her to work.

At school- school work. At home- chores and homework. However, at home there was also the one thing she truly enjoyed- the family dojo. Different family members studied different things and she learnt them all- or at least she did her best to learn it all. She loved the way they gave a sense of freedom that she had lost upon arriving in the country.

The country-Japan.

Her home land-Australia

Still she was careful to hide who she truly was. Careful to be the girl they wanted her to be. Meek, timid, obedient, quite- silent in fact. That is what they wanted her to be, and that is what she pretended to be. However, what they never saw behind the mask was the silent screaming, the silent backtalk and the silent retorts that were never to be voiced as long as she was under their control.

Inside, behind the mask she was someone completely different. She was determined, confident, strong willed and stubborn. She would not stand down from any challenge, but as long as she was under there control, there was nothing she could do but wait.

She never spoke to anyone who knew her. She could understand what was being said and could speak Japanese, read and write it, but se would not talk to her family, to the people at school, to anyone that knew her. However, she would talk to the little kid being picked on in the quiet and timid manner, she would talk back to people that she was never likely to see again, but never to the people around her. No, she learnt that lesson when she had first arrived, and was not about to forget it any time soon. They only hurt you.

Sighing to herself, she got up and started to get ready. There was no school today but she had to pack. Today she was going to be sent to stay with another relative for a few weeks. Not that it mattered, she had no real friends to say goodbye to in the first place.

"Xiaolin! Breakfast will be ready in five minutes, be down here!" A voice called from downstairs.

Xiaolin did not voice anything in return. She paused to glance at herself in the mirror. She had more squared shoulders then most girls in Japan, but her light frame still gave her a dainty look to her. She always wore long pants-even in the middle of summer, mostly the same type of jeans she had on today. That was to hide the scars, and to hide the scars would mean one less reason for people to ask questions and that meant one less reason to talk. Talking meant people would get to know her, and that was the last thing she wanted. Still she had the same raven black hair theat every other Japanese girl but she had never had a real hair cut back home so it almost reached her knees, pulled back in a simply braid with long wild bangs constantly falling into her face. She had the same slanted eyes, even though they were somewhat bigger then the average Japanese person, but her eye colour she got from her father. Red, outback red, like the colour of the rock commonly known to the Australian people as Uluru and the sands of the Gibson Desert. That is what strike most people as odd, but they were still quick to forget. She could not help but to pull up her shirt to revile the scar on her upper back, from the way it healed it almost looked like a ten-pointed star, even though it should be perfectly round. That was what strike her as odd.

She began her descent down the stairs to join the family for breakfast. After the breakfast and the formal silent farewells, she made her way to the trains station for her trip to the other side of the city to the family estate with the ¥en tucked firmly in the wallet (of course everyone else called it her purse)

Xiaolin paused as she passed the local shrine. She never had any real interest in the shrine but for some strange reason she always felt an outlandish feel coming from the shrine, even thought it was the same as every other shrine in the country. It almost felt unnatural.

Suddenly the sound of someone shouting reached her ears. Glancing around Xiaolin saw that there was no one in the street at that hour of the morning. The sound of wood breaking drew her up the steps of the shrine, searching for what was wrong. Finally, she spotted what she knew as the old well house, but why anyone would put a well inside a house that was never in use was beyond her. Walking quickly but cautiously toward it, Xiaolin went to investigate what was happening.

More shouts and screams followed, causing her to pick up the pace.

Then a red clad figure with long white hair burst out the door, smashing it in the process and landing hard on his back. Then coming to stand over him was an oversized centipede, with what looked like it might once have been a woman's upper half of a body for a head but with way too many arms.

Suddenly a tiny figure lurched itself at the monster, only to be knocked away. Acting completely out of instinct, Xiaolin raced to catch the falling figure. Making a final dive, she caught it as if she would have done a football back in her homeland.

Picking herself up she glanced over her shoulder to see the monster making a dive for her.

"Give me that kit!" The monster screeched at her. Xiaolin threw a look over her shoulder at it, waiting until the last second to make her move.

"Hell no." She whispered to herself, dodging off the left.

"The sword! We have to get InuYasha's sword! It's on the other side of the well!" The tiny figure in Xiaolin's arms shouted in her ear, but she gave no sign of hearing him.

The red figure- InuYasha- jumped up and made to attack only to be knocked back to the ground. An arrow flew toward the creature's heart, but it was deflected by one of the many arms. The arrow come from girl standing in the doorways of the well house. Xiaolin identified the girls as Kagome- a girl who was rarely at school.

Kagome readied another arrow only to be knocked aside by the tail end of the creature.

"Let me go! I have to get the sword to InuYasha!" The tiny figure tried to squirm out of her grasp.

_It's far too dangerous to let him go alone and I have no idea what he means by 'the other side of the well'. I can't leave them without helping- that's simply isn't me, so that only leaves one choice._ Xiaolin got to her feet without a word and raced toward the well house.

"I want that kit!" The creature lunged for her, but Xiaolin dodge once more, rolling on the ground with her heavy backpack and sprang back to her feet.

_Well you ain't getting him! _Xiaolin continued towards the well house.

"Jump down the well and get me my sword!" InuYasha called after her while trying to distract the creature that was after the tiny creature in Xiaolin's arms.

_Down the well! What the hell, this is most likely going to be the weirdest day of my life so screw all forms logic! _Xiaolin made it into the well house and jumped over the railing just in time to avoid InuYasha been thrown to the opposite wall. Making it to the well she jumped over the edge without a second thought. She had almost reached the bottom of the well when a strange blue light glowed from the floor of the well. Once landed, she looked around to find any swords, but there was nothing in the bottom of the dried well but a few bones unlike anything Xiaolin had ever seen before. Seeing noting and having the kit in her arms start to squire again, she glanced up to see that they were no longer in the well house. Either that or the monster had ripped the roof off completely. But then again there were no sounds of the battle that was going on up there to be heard.

"Come on, we've gotta get out of here and get the sword!" The kit pointed up from his position in Xiaolin's arms.

Glancing up, Xiaolin saw that there were in fact vines hanging down over the edge of the well, and they reached far enough down so the she climb out of the well.

Without a word said to her little passenger that now clang on her shoulder like her bird once did, Xiaolin made her climb swiftly upwards. She did not spend all the time she had training with her family and at home doing nothing.

Reaching the mouth of the well in record time, Xiaolin look around for the desired object when she heard a gasp from her passenger. Looking at him, she followed his glaze over her shoulder and to a tall white figure with its back to her behind her.

"Sesshomaru…" Looking at the kit, Xiaolin saw he meant trouble. Taking a few guesses at what she had to do, she got ready for a run when she saw it. Sesshomaru was staring an object on the ground, it looked from her angle like a flat black stick, but it had a handle that obviously made it to be a sword.

Setting the kit down on the opposite lip of the well before she then moved to join him, pulling her legs up under her as she readied for a surprise attack. The kit looked up at her confused and then a look of utter disbelief crossed his face when he saw what she planning.

Gathering her energy, Xiaolin lurched herself off the well and towards Sesshomaru. She had no idea who he was but she did not plan to stay here long enough to find out. She tackled him the way she would have if it were nothing more then a game- inflecting as much damage as possible without causing herself any injures. She knocked him off his feet and to the ground, a grasp of shock almost escaping his lips. Xiaolin had the feeling that the only reason he fell was because she had caught him off guard.

They hit the ground, Sesshomaru under Xiaolin. Struggling to gain her balance before the person underneath her, Xiaolin looked around wildly for the sword. Finding it was it had been before- she scrambled to pick it up and get back into the well. She did not notice the pale orange glow that the sword gave before it settled back into the pale blue shine. It almost seemed like luck was on her side for the first time in years- almost.

She got the sword over the well and knocked the kit over with it, but luckily for him he grabbed hold of the sword. She grabbed hold of the edge of the well and was about to pull herself over it when something caught hold of her ankle. Looking back, Xiaolin instantly regretted it.

Holding onto her was Sesshomaru and even through there was a bord expression on his face his golden amber eyes burned with an unspoken rage. His face was cover with tattoos, a moon crescent on his forehead and strips on both cheeks. If it were not for the murder like rage in his eyes, he would have been her description of perfection. Xiaolin's eyes widen with surprise and fear.

"Give me that sword." It was a clear and direct order, spoken in a calm voice with the rage underlining it.

Xiaolin glanced back at the kit and for the first time she really looked at him and found he was not the little kid she had thought him to be. He had a bushy tail and elf like pointed ears and tiny claws that clang to the sword for all dear life. He had bilby like feet the dangled under him.

_Or fox for that matter. Yeah, I think fox is better description of him. Now what is he?_

"I will not repeat myself again human, give me that sword. You know not of its power….Or _mine_." Once more his voice was calm to the point were it was frightening, and the fact he was raising to full height did not help Xiaolin's fear. The only thing stoping her from being completely upside down was her firm grip on the lip of the well.

_Good thing I always was a very anti-authority type of an Australian. _Xiaolin looked back at the kit and managed to lock eyes with him.

"Good luck kid." Was all she said quietly before letting go of the sword. The kit's eyes went wide with surprise and shock as he fell toward the bottom of the well and disappeared into the flash of pale blue light.

Xiaolin felt herself lurch forward into the well, her ankle being let go of and herself beginning to fall. However, before she had reached half way down the well she felt her legs get entangled with something fluffy. Looking back up she saw that Sesshomaru was not about to let her go that easily.

_Seesh, you'd think the guy would just let me go, prick, someone should shoot the bugger. _ A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she was jerked up and into the air. Xiaolin was pulled up with such force that she was sent flying though the air and far above the trees. Twisting around Xiaolin opened her mouth the scream only to shut it again quickly upon seeing that she was about to hit a small lake. Curling up into a ball completely instinct. She hit the water hard, the air was knocked out of her lungs causing her to become winded and Xiaolin began to lose touch with reality. She could not tell up from down and the world started to spin. Xiaolin went limp and was dragged down by the weight of her full backpack.

Then she felt something brush against her skin, causing a old memory to flash through her mind, reminding her of the promise she made long ago.

**_Begin flashback._**

_Blood was everywhere, chaos seem to spread like a pandemic, screams could be heard everywhere. Xiaolin was on her knees, the body of her now deceased mother in front of her. _

"_I will come back, Mum. I will finish what was started here today and nothing will ever stop me. Nothing!"_

**_End flashback._**

Forcing herself to wake up and grip reality, Xiaolin looked up to see the silvery surface above her. Shrugging off her backpack, she forced her way back to the surface. However, things were not to be that easy. Her lungs burned, her limbs felt like lead and her head ache like hell. Nevertheless, she was not going to let it go, she was not going to let anything get in the way of her fulling her promise.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she broke the surface and breathed in the fresh air that had only tasted that good once before. Floating on her back, watch the clouds drift across the sky, too tired to swim to the shore. Then one cloud caught her eye, it was moving too fast for it to be natural. Pulling her body back under the water so that only her head was above it, she watched it until she saw what it was.

Sesshomaru.

Xiaolin had no idea how someone could fly around on a cloud, but somehow it did not matter, what mattered was that she hide before he found her.

Taking deep breaths, Xiaolin summoned the last of her strength and dove back under the water. Knowing she would float back up to the surface if she did not find something to hold her down. The bottom of the lake couldn't been seen, but her bag was on the very edge a ledge before a sudden drop off that went out of sight. Grabbing hold the bag, she noticed that it was beginning to slip over the edge. Twisting the strap around her hand, Xiaolin tried to pull the bag back onto safety. Sadly, it was no use and she was pulled over the edge and into the darkness below. With her hand twisted in the strap, Xiaolin was pulled down with it.

As Xiaolin was struggling to free herself, she noticed a darker patch in the cliff wall. Taking a wild guess, she swag the bag into the hole and went with it. After a few short moments the bag came a stop.

Finally able to free herself from the overweight bag she swam upwards blindly until she broke to the surface.

All around her was absolutely black, there simply was no light. Feeling around in the darkness, Xiaolin's hand came to touch the hard jagged wall. Felling it over a bit more she found a ledge about a foot above the water. It took three tries before she could finally pull herself up onto the ledge and simply collapsed from fatigue.

Xiaolin had no idea how long she slept, but when she woke it was freezing. Her skin had dried but her long hair was still wet. Her legs were still sore, along with her lungs, shoulders, arms and head. Pretty much everything hurt and was tired beyond belief. Sadly, it was believable since she was feeling it.

She continued to rest for an extra few hours until hunger drove her to try to retrieve her bag from the inky depths below her. Gently lowering herself into the icy water, Xiaolin took a deep breath before diving blindly into the water to what she could only guess.

Felling her way down, Xiaolin guessed she had to dive a good ten feet before she reached the bag. Grabbing hold of the strap, the bag felt heavier then before. Still she managed to get the strap onto a piece of rock about two feet up from where the bag had once laid. After that, she had to go back up to the air space to breathe and recover a bit before continuing to process all over again. It took almost 20 tries before the bag was back into the air. With one last try. Xiaolin heaved the bag up onto the ledge and pulled herself up after it. Laying down next to the bag and panting heavily from the hard work, she did not even bother to notice the deep cuts on her arms and legs that she got from the sharp walls. When she finally enough strength, she propped herself up on one elbow and started to search her bag for something to eat. The bag luckily was waterproof, which was the main reason she had brought it since she often had to walk in the rain and hated it when her books would get wet.

After unzipping it her hand started to rummage though the contains which had only just started to get wet from the water that had started to leak in, meaning it had been in the water for quite some time. Her hand encountered something smooth and cylinder shaped. Pulling it out she ran her hands over it until she found what she was looking for. With a flick of a switch, a blinding light filled the room. Xiaolin quickly turned it off again, glad to see that it still worked. After the pain in her eyes had receded, she turned the torch back on again, this time making sue she pointed the torch away from her and that she had her eyes closed. Slowly she opened them again, letting them slowly adjust to the light. Once she could see what she was doing, she continued to search through the bag for what she was looking for. She always carried a good amount of food with her since it could take all day to get to where she had to be and she hated it when her family arranged places for her to eat lunch. Often it was a waste of time and money since the places she was sent would often be expensive and sometimes hard to find and out of her way. She always carried food that would last a good while, plus a few blocks of chocolate.

After eating a few food bars and a block of chocolate Xiaolin promptly went back to sleep after turning the torch back off.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Xiaolin woke up next she was feeling much better, cold but better. Feeling around for the torch in the darkness. Finally finding it, Xiaolin let out a sigh of relief. Turning it on, she shined the light down at herself and sighed in regret. Her clothes were destroyed, and so were her shoes. They were ripped to shreds by the rocks. All well, they were not her best, so it really did not matter. Her family would just see it as a reason to go shopping again. It did not matter if she did not end up buying any cloths, she would just be dragged shopping. Pulling the bag closer to her, she dug around until she found what she was looking for- her training _gi._

The tough canvas-like material was completely black and very comfortable to wear. It would also provide some protection from the many knock and bumps she was sure to come into contact with. Adding an undershirt for extra warmth and so her bag would be lighter, Xiaolin threw the ruined cloths into the water, watching them sink into the inky darkness below. Turning back to her bag, she dug around a bit more until she once again found what she was looking for. Her hiking boots. They were heavily made, designed for the harsh conditions back in Australia. No only would they protect her feet from the worst of things, but they would also lighten her bag considerably.

Throwing the old sneakers into the water, Xiaolin picked up her bag and prepared to leave the small cave. Looking around the cave with the torch, Xiaolin noticed that there was a slight shadow in the far corner of the cave. Walking over she found that it was in fact a tunnel leading out of the cave. Sadly, it was small enough to have to force Xiaolin to have to crawl through it, pushing the bag in front of her.

As she went along the bag got caught in the tight space many times, slowing the already slow process. Suddenly it widen out into a larger cavern space, allowing Xiaolin to stand up. Flashing the torch around she saw another tunnel off to the right.

_Guess I cock a right_. Xiaolin moved off towards the tunnel, which thankfully was big enough for her to move though it without having to crawling. Shouldering the oversized backpack, she continued onwards.

Xiaolin spent the next hour travelling through the tunnel. For the most part she was going ever upwards. Ever so often, she would come to a part where she had to do some cliff climbing (no Sister, she is not in a sarong so you cannot go off at me!)

Feeling the wall of rocks over and removing anything she could of the smaller rocks before moving on to the slightly larger ones. Slowly she begin to make a whole in the wall, but every so often she was forced to retreat as the rocks would fall toward her, threatening to crush her. After the third one of this rock falls, a hole appeared in the wall, just large enough for her to stick her hand through.

Xioalin was tired, hot and dirty at this point, but there was no point in giving up then, that would do her no good. Sitting down for a sort rest, she heard the voices on the other side of the wall.

"What's happening? Should we go get the elders?"

"Quiet! What if it's a youkai?"

Figuring this would be her best chance for getting out of there, Xioalin got up and started towards the wall. Carefully climbing up the wall a bit, she carefully put her hand through the hole and into the outside.

The first voice let off a loud scream at the sight of her arm and the sound of hurried scrambling could be heard from the other side of the wall.

Finally a voice spoke up.

"Who-…who are you!"

Xiaolin paused. The only way to let them know she meant them no harm was to speak. But to speak would to break her long held silence.

Debating raged in her head as until she came to her decision, she would have to speak

But when Xiaolin open her mouth to speak out, no words came forth, only a soft croak. Her recent ordeal had rendered her unable to speak even if she wanted to.

"Can't you talk?" The first voice pressed. Waving her arm from side to side, Xiaolin prayed they would get the idea.

"Come on, we got to get him out of there!" the second voice answered. The sound of rocks being pulled out of the wall could be heard for the next hour as the wall slowly came down. More people was sent for as time went on, ending up with nearly ten people working on the wall.

Finally the wall fell, freeing Xiaolin from her prison. Coughing at the dust that raised when the wall at last fell.

Stepping out into the light, Xiaolin heard a gasp at the sight of her. Through she was covered in dust and dirt, it was still clear to see she was not one of the locals. Looking about her, she saw that it was mostly children in the cave itself, with two older men acting as supervision and helpers.

"Ye be foreign to these parts, _girl._" Xiaolin looked up to the man that spoke with the clear disapproval in his voice. By the looks of him he was a farmer, hands worn from long use and a heavy build from the hard work he preformed each day. Though he looked like her was nearly fifty, Xiaolin guessed that was most likely to be from thirty five to forty five.

Xiaolin narrowed her eyes at him, not from the tone of voice he used but the glitter of silver that came from beyond the cave. Looking past him, she saw a strange group of misfits and rough looking characters. Doing a quick count, there was nine of them all together. And from the cruel expressions on their faces, she guessed that there was going to be trouble.

Pointing behind the men to the new comers that were creeping up quietly, Xiaolin tried to warn them.

"Do ye come from the North?" The second man asked. Xiaolin gave him a flat look, clearly showing that was not what she was trying to say. With a roll of her eye, she again pointed to the group of men that were almost there.

"The wench means us, ya fools." The man that spoke up Xiaolin guessed to be the leader or the person in charge of the attack. Everyone in the cave spined around to see themselves trapped by the group, who by now Xiaolin had identified as bandits.

"What do ye want? Ya already take everything we can afford! There is nothing else we can give ye!" The first man demanded. The cold chuckle that the leader gave sent chills up Xiaolin's spin, causing her to shudder.

"Me and me men are a little bord, and we want entertainment!" Laughter arose from the group, and Xiaolin knew what they wanted. The children in the cave huddled together, fearful of the bandits. Looking at them, Xiaolin realised that most of them were young girls.

There were many things in the world that Xiaolin hated with a undying passion, and what these men wanted was top of the list. Stepping forward, she forgot her weariness and focused on the task at hand. Cracking her knuckles, she prepared to fight.

More laughter rose from the bandits. "Do ya think you've got a chance against nine full grown men girl? Ha, ah, ha, ha, ha!" Walking calmly up to him while he was still laughing at her, she slogged him one on the mouth, almost knocking him flat.

"Ya-….ya…ya _hit_ me! Ohhh, ya goin' get it own, wench!" He swang wildly at her, hoping to hit her with enough force to get her down in one hit. But Xiaolin dodged to the side, letting the fist sail past her. Grabbing hold of the fist, she pulled hard on it, and brought her elbow down into his stomach. Felling the air from his lungs blow past her ear and almost coughing at the smell of his breath, she brought the palm of her hand up into his waiting chin, before pulling him over her shoulder and leaving him flat on him back, out cold.

The was gasps of surprise as the limp from of their leader laid on the hard floor of the cave. Xiaolin hoped that it would be enough to convince the rest to leave, since she doubted that she could take them all on. Stepping away from the limp from of the fallen leader, she waited for them to make their move. Another man stepped forward and eyed her carefully.

"You's two, him and get him back to camp. We'll take care of this wench." The two men addressed came forward and picked up the fallen leader, leaving quickly with him. That left Xiaolin with six men to deal with.

Calmly taking up a fighting stance, she readied herself for the attack that never came. Blinking in surprise, she saw the last six and drawn their weapons and laid them on the ground before kneeling.

"Thank you." They all said in union, causing Xiaolin to almost fall over anime style.

"we have been trying to get rid of that useless man for a long time, now we are in your debt. But do not believe that this fight is over, we will merely be continuing it in less…tiring times." The man speaking shot a meaningful look at Xiaolin's state of dress and her difficulty she was having just standing.

Finally he stood up and left, the rest of the men following him.

Xiaolin was confused, since when did bandits have any sense of honour? Isn't that why they were bandits? Or were they more like a Ned Kelly thing? Having honour but not obeying the law?

_Great, just great._ Was Xiaolin's last thought before she collapsed to her knees.

"Oh no! Are you alright? You need help! Uncle, please, we have to take her back to the village! She saved us, now we have to help her!" Xiaolin could not hear anything after that, she passed out from her long day.

When she woke up next she was alone in a small dark room, sore and stiff from her injuries. At first she thought that her entire escape from the caves was nothing from then a tiring dream, only to realise that the walls of the room were not mode from rock and the fire light was outside the room. Gently sitting up so as not to cause her head to swim, Xiaolin crawled towards where most of the light was coming from, guessing that was where the dor was. Outside the door was another, much larger room then that of which she was in. Opening the door wider and careful not to loose her already poor balance, Xiaolin moved into the next room. In there was an old women sitting next to the fire, while what seemed to be her family laid down around the fire.

"Are child, ye wake. You have been resting for nearly two days now- I was beginning to wonder if ye would ever wake. Come, eat." The old lady held up a ladle filled with some sort of stew. While Xiaolin had never eaten anything like it before, she ate it none the less. She was hungry and thirsty, and this was just what she needed.

Glancing down at her hands, Xiaolin noticed that they were bandaged, along with all the other cuts and scrapes she had obtained on her escape. Also she was no longer in her training _gi_, she was in a light weight plain cotton kimono. Looking up questioning at the elderly lady, she was given the answers that she wanted.

"When ye came her ye were in a sorry state. Ye cloths have been mended and cleaned today, ye wounds cared for. But something confused me still, young one the bruises on ye ankles, how did ye get them?"

Xiaolin cocked her head to the side, not really understanding the question. Looking down at the ankle in question, she saw that there was a ring of bruises on it, and they were darker then the others she would have covering her body.

Then she suddenly could make out the shape of a hand mark and remembered that this was the same ankle that Sesshomaru had grabbed to prevent her escape to home.

Frowning, she glanced back to the elderly lady before shaking her head. There was little chance of Xiaolin speaking here, she had already hear the people speak disapprovingly of her and she was not about the give them more reason to by telling them that some guy with long white hair and a fluffy boa over she shoulder and thrown her up into the air and down into a lake, where she then found a underwater cave to hid in before going through the cave system to the cave that they had found her in. No for now she would remain a mystery.

"Can ye not speak?" Xiaolin almost smiled, this was the perfect chance to have an excuse for holding her silence. Nodding her head sadly, she calmly continued her meal, hopping to keep the questions simple.

"Well, then that presents a few problems, does it not? Now child, my name is Akina, and I be the village miko. And what may be your name?"

Xiaolin set down her bowl, knowing that she would have asked this question sooner rather then later. Still, it was going to be hard. Her name wasn't even Japanese, it was Chinese, and she doubted many here could read and write here. Sighing, she sat down the bowl and tried sigh language, quickly guessing that was useless.

"Never mind child, _shall_ give ye a new name until we can guess what ye true name maybe." The old miko sat back and pondered for a moment, before finally answering. "Akiko, autumn child. Ye eyes are a strange colour, are they not? Are ye from a far off land?" Xiaolin nodded in calm response.

"Yet ye speak, or know of, Japanese?" Again Xiaolin nodded, finishing off the last of her meal.

"Me thinks that be enough for ye tonight, we shall speak more in the morning. Sleep now, Akiko." Xiaolin bowed her head and made to stand, only to discover her body did not wish to do so and collapsed beneath her. Shrugging off the fall, she decided it would be best for her to crawl back to her bed.

The next morning she woke up to the sound of bird calls, people working outside the hut and voices coming from inside the hut.

"Are ye sure she not be youkai? Them kitsuze are a tricky lot." The male voice she identified as one of the farmers from the cave.

"Yes, I be sure, she's mute, but human. I know not of what she was doing in that cave, but me thinks we shall never know. Now off with ye, you have a family to provide for! I shall tend to the girl. Stranger she may be, but a kind stranger she is."

_Fox youkai, what the hell? What are they on about? No matter, as long as Akina says I'm one of the good guys, I don't think they'll be able to do anything._ Xiaolin got up and tried to stand on her feet again, thankful for the fact that while it hurt, she could now stand.

Moving noisily to alert the other people of the next room, Xiaolin moved to the other room.

"Ah, Akiko, you are awake. Come, let us began the day."

And so began Xiaolin's journey to recovery. Every day she would work out around the hut, helping out where she could while careful not to annoy her injuries. While they were all minor, considering what she had been through, it still took time before Xiaolin could move freely and do her morning exercises. Sometimes she would gather a audience before the parents would come along and scold the children for not eating breakfast before going out. Within two weeks, Xiaolin figured she was ready to start looking for a way home. But she soon found out that she couldn't leave until she completed yet more tasks. Starting with the bandits

When she had last saw the group they had said that they would finish their fight later. Which really did not make sense since they all seem keen to get what the leader had hinted at. So why would they suddenly change when he was taken out? Why send the leader back before the rest of the group followed? He was out cold, therefore he would have known nothing of what was going to be said. Xiaolin could only make hazy guesses at what was really going on.

Meanwhile, Xiaolin had taken to patrolling the edges of the village and the farmland that surround the village, looking out for trouble. There never seemed to be anything to worry about, but Xiaolin did not want to be unprepared.

It was one of these days, when she had been volunteered to watch the women wash the cloths while the men did work in the fields. It may not have been the most interesting of duties, but it passed time and she could not wait to get home once more.

Hearing a rustling behind her, Xiaolin snapped her fingers to alert someone that she was leaving for a few minutes. Taking off silently, Xiaolin moved toward where the sound had come from. Slipping silently through the undergrowth- a technique she had not learned from her mother's family- Xiaolin found the source of the sound. Three full-grown men, aged from about twenty to thirty crouching in the undergrowth, waiting for a chance. What chance they wanted precisely Xiaolin did not know, but she could take a very good guess and she was not about to allow it. Taking the plain wooden staff given to her by the village, she ready herself for the attack. Only she never had to make it, since someone- or something- else had other plans for them.

Out of the stream next to them came a sudden serge of water, which seemed to grab them and take them under.

_Just like a bloody croc. Wait, if it's taken them, then who else is it going to take?_ Glancing back at the blissfully unaware women still washing their cloths, Xiaolin knew what had to be done.

Bursting out of the undergrowth, she raced over to the women, grabbing the closest one and dragging her away from the bank.

"What's the matter Akiko? Is there something in the forest?" Asked the bewildered woman.

_Do I look concern about the bloody bush! The water, moron! The water! _Shaking her head vigorously, Xiaolin pointed towards the water, hoping that they would get the idea.

"Do you want your cloths washed too?" She tried again. Xiaolin gave her a blank look

"Huh, if she wants her cloths washed, she can do it herself!" Spock up another woman.

"Yes, all she does is sit there and do nothing!"

"Yeah, she should do it herself!"

"What does she do to help us?" Added yet others.

Sighing in annoyance, she pointed to the water yet again and tried to pull her away.

"I think she wants us away from the water." Spock up one of the younger girls.

_Finally, someone with a higher brain capacity then that of the common housefly! _Nodding her head, she moved towards the direction of the road that lead to the village. However, it was too late- the water threat had arrived.

The swirling waters forced anyone still hesitant to follow to run for their lives.

However, Xiaolin stood her ground. She had caught sigh of what the thing truly was, a single blue figure that looked like some sort of water sprite. Looking up into her face, Xiaolin took note of the completely calm appearance before making her move. To get through the swirling waters would be near impossible, but they did leave one point completely unguarded, above. Jumping up into the trees, Xiaolin bounced of one of the more springy branches, using the extra lift to get over the water. Coming down, she gave her staff s sharp twirl over her head, before bring it down into the sprite's head. However, the staff never touched it, instead the sprite because water itself, whirling around her but ever actually touching her. Confused, Xiaolin landed gracefully, doing her best to keep as far away from the eerie blue waters as possible. The next thing she knew the water seem to be crushing down on her, making it almost impossible to even hold her ground and stand.

Fighting to regain her balance, Xiaolin felt herself beginning to weaken. Her failing strength forced her to her knees, everything that had happen in the last few weeks was being forced through her mind by a unknown force.

**Flash backs**

_Xiaolin stepped out of the hut for the first time in her own clothing, holding her hand up against the glare of the sun. Nearby, a mother pulls her child closer to her, fearful of the unknown standing before her in the almost foreign clothing.-_

_She was walking though the village later that day, looking about her with great interest. Could it be that she really had taken a step back in time, that this was the past of her mother's country? Her own country's history didn't go back very far, therefore she most likely was in a time before even her land was known to the rest of the world._

_Xiaolin was brought out of her wonderings as something hard pushed her aside and into the mud. Wiping mud from her face, Xiaolin looked up to see a stocky man frowning down at her. Shaking his head, he moved on without a single word.-_

_All she had wanted was to watch the women do their weaving, and hopefully learn to do it herself so she could be of a bigger help to people. However, every time she got a decent view of what was happening, one or more of the women would move into her line of sight, their backs to her. Finally, one of them had had enough and decided to be a little more direct about it._

"_Go away you stupid mute! Go! Shoo! Be gone, foreigner!" She angrily brandished her fist at Xiaolin, who gave her a hard stare before calmly moving on. _

_You would think that she was use to it by now, that it would no longer hurt to be out rightly rejected in such a harsh way. After all, it had been like that when she first arrived in Japan._

**_End of Flash backs._**

Xiaolin trembled as she struggled to cope with the strain she was under. The last thing she expected was a voice speaking to her within her mind, her only sanctuary.

_Why do they hurt you? Why don't they understand you only want to help? Why do they even deserve your help? They should be punished, they should be hurt, just as you were, just like you. The pain in your heart, it should be theirs! _

"No…." Xiaolin whispered almost silently to herself, she would not, she could not_, s_he should not.

_Just say it, and it will be theirs, al the pain you suffered, all the suffering, it will be all theirs! Just say it! I will do it, I will make them pay!_

"No…." Xiaolin's will against this monster in her mind was weakening. Her strength quickly draining as her spirit was being washed away by the churning waters.

_Yes! Do it! Do it! They will pay, they will ALL PAY! _

**_Flash back_**

"_Remember, Xiaolin pay back not evil for evil, since two wrongs will never make a right. Don't hurt other people just because they hurt you. After all, the best way to annoy your enemy is make them your friend." Xiaolin's mother laughed at the old joke, hugging her daughter and rubbing her hair lovingly._

_**End of Flash back**_

"No…no! Don't!" _Leave themLeave them alone! Don't hurt! I'm ordering you!_ Xiaolin had no idea where the thought of ordering it came from, but she prayed it would worked.

To her surprise and amazement it did. The waters settled down and the sprite itself could be seen as clear as day.

_You have chosen well, but not all the tests shall be as easy as this one._

Again, the sprite transformed into the water but this time it had a sense of direction-Xiaolin's forehead. A bright light shone out and everything went pale blue. No one present could see, hear, or even feel anything.

When Xiaolin opened her eyes, again she felt a cool point in the centre of her forehead. Blinking back the last remaining effects of the light, Xiaolin raised a hand to her forehead she felt a cold hard surface connected to a chain that was just as cold.

Now that the swimming waters had settled around her, Xiaolin's head decided it was its turn.

And with that, Xiaolin passed out.

A/N

At the moment I'm typing up around three stories. No four, I think. Two of them are mine, one of them isn't a fanfiction and the other one isn't mine. I'm just transferring it from paper to computer- it's for my friend who never updates, so I'm doing it for her.

Someone ask how to pronounce the name Xiaolin- I confess. I got the name from a cartoon called Xiaolin Showdown and thought it would do nicely for a girls name (it's actually the name of a temple in China)

Someone else said I had a talent for this. All I have to have to say is wow, thankyou! I only started this story because I forgot to bring my other story to school and I got bored to death in computer studies. But hay, I'll continue the story for the hell of it

Well, that's all for now. Bye, bye for now.

Oh, also one more thing, I don't watch that much in the way of TV, so I don't do much in the way of cross overs.

That's all for now. Really.


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